Meet Hei Kuok | Designer & Animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hei Kuok and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hei, why did you pursue a creative career?
Oh, that’s an easy one!

Growing up in Hong Kong, I was always one of the kids doodling silly characters in the margins of my notebooks. The idea of bringing my imagination to life and sharing it with others always fascinated me, even if it meant just doodling in the corner of a friend’s book. This sparked a feeling within me – the thought that my creations could inspire, entertain, and bring joy to someone’s day! So here I am, diving headfirst into a new internship after recently graduating from Ringling College of Art and Design, and loving every second of it.

Speaking specifically about Motion Design too – it’s the perfect blend of technical animation and visual arts, allowing me to express my creativity in various ways. It’s a career that keeps me engaged and excited every day, as I work on something new in the pipeline, whether it’s coming up with concepts, creating designs, animating, or even compositing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a Motion Designer, I bring advertisements and creative projects to life with dynamic and engaging visuals. I design and animate in various styles, ensuring each project is perfectly tailored to each client! By combining creativity with technical expertise, I basically aim to create animations that captivate viewers and effectively convey the intended message — Because, let’s be honest, without motion, it’s just a very fancy slideshow.

I think what sets me apart in my field is my talent for creating designs that can adapt to any situation – be it something lighthearted or more serious. In my personal work though, I just love to sprinkle in some silly visual humor. Whether it’s through my arsenal of dad jokes or some good old physical comedy, I think it gives my art that little something extra!

I am particularly proud of the work I created in my senior year of college. I was pushed to improve in a short amount of time under a lot of stress, and I made it through with late nights of hard work and learning lots of new technical skills, all done alongside my friends who supported me along the way. One of my favorite projects is “The Tyranny of Ultra Processed Foods,” an explainer video made in collaboration with my classmate and close friend, Nick Bonilla. We faced some challenges with animating the complex layered collage style with such tight deadlines, but we pulled through and even added some experimental sound design to make it extra special.

How did I get to where I am today professionally? Well, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park—more like a marathon through a maze with the occasional piano falling from the sky. Just kidding! Getting to my current role as a Design and Animation intern at Black Math in Boston took a lot of hard work, late nights, and more coffee than I’d like to admit.

There were definitely challenges along the way, from mastering new software to balancing schoolwork with internship applications. But I overcame them by staying passionate about what I do, seeking guidance from amazing mentors, and embracing every learning opportunity, even if it’s just peeking over a classmate’s shoulder in class. Plus, a good sense of humor and the occasional dad joke helped keep things lighthearted to avoid getting stressed out! It wasn’t easy, but I saw every challenge as a chance to grow and improve. And now, here I am, thrilled to be starting my career at such an awesome place.

What are the lessons I’ve learned along the way? Oh, where do I start… First off, a big one is that persistence pays off. The road isn’t always going to be smooth, but stick through it and build your community to help you out when things get rough, whether it’s classmates, teachers, mentors, or even buddies from other hobbies, it can really help you out when you’re down compared to facing things alone.

I’ve also learned the importance of flexibility. In Motion Design, things are always moving [pun intended], and being able to adapt quickly is key. And of course, a sense of humor goes a long way. Animation can be intense, but remembering to laugh, especially at my own mistakes, keeps the creative juices flowing.

As for my brand, I want the world to know that I’m dedicated to creating visuals that tell stories and bring smiles to people’s faces. Whether it’s a playful animation or a more corporate graphic design, I strive to infuse creativity into everything I do, really thinking about the reason why things should look the way they look, or how they move the way they move. I hope that perhaps someday, someone looking at my work can also have a spark of inspiration to lead them on their own creative journey as well.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
While I’m currently in Boston for an internship and still getting to know the area, I’d love to share some awesome recommendations for Sarasota, where I spent my college years and discovered all the best spots!

To make things easier to digest, I’ll list a few things that can be mixed and matched for a fantastic day plan.

So, in the morning, you can’t go wrong with some delightful waffles at Station 400 or a visit to the Toasted Mango Cafe! After treating yourself to delicious food, take a leisurely stroll around St. Armands Circle, explore the various goods, and stop by The Spice & Tea Exchange to indulge in the wonderful scents of their teas (the truffle salt was my absolute favorite for cooking!). For the afternoon, you could check out the cool fish at the Mote Aquarium, unwind at Lido Key Beach, or enjoy a relaxing drink at the charming book cafe “Shelf Indulgence”.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a big shoutout to my amazing mentor, Gonzalo Janer.

From the complexities of motion graphics to the hurdles of student visas and international student life, he’s been there through it all. His practical advice and support have been invaluable, and I truly appreciate how he’s helped me navigate both my career and life as a mentor, and also as a close friend. Thank you for always being there and for your unwavering guidance. I couldn’t have done it without you! If you’re reading this – I know you’re probably too humble to take the credit, but you deserve it.

Website: https://www.heikuok.com

Instagram: @milkyhei

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heikuok/